How to choose the right car battery

Every car battery has a shelf life, whether it’s being used or not. Even brand new batteries stored on the shelves of automotive parts stores expire after a certain time. Since every battery comes with a certain timed guarantee, knowing when to replace one seems somewhat logical. However, depending on where you live, the type of weather you endure, a battery can last longer than the guarantee period or less – depending on the circumstances.

Car batteries normally have a life expectancy of 2-3 years, even if it says that they will last up to 5 years. If lately you have been facing ignition problems or sluggish functioning of your car’s electrical devices or experiencing the slow-start of your car and the battery has also passed its warranty period, it makes financial sense to invest in a new car battery rather than paying for repairs on an old one now and then.

With the vast array of auto batteries available in the market, choosing the right one is a bit confusing at times. Here are a few things you should keep in mind when it comes to replacement, of your car battery.

• Battery Group Size – This is the physical size of the battery, and most vehicles will allow for more than one group size. The wrong size might not fit securely or provide sufficient power. If the terminals are in the wrong place, your car’s cables might not reach, or it may not fit in firmly. Check your owner’s guide to find the battery group sizes that will fit in your vehicle.
• Cold Cranking Amps (CCA) – CCA determines how well your battery will supply enough power for 30 seconds at a temperature of zero degrees Fahrenheit. Batteries that only display hot cranking amps (HCA) or cranking amps (CA) are not as well suited for cold areas.
• Reserve Capacity (RC) – RC measures how many minutes the battery can supply power before falling below the minimum voltage level after the alternator has failed. In general, the higher the number, the better. This is an important factor to consider if you operate on the electrical components of the car keeping its engine off.
• Battery Date Code – Be sure to ask for the battery with a recent manufacturing date. A battery that’s been on the shelf for an extended period can lose some of its charge, and might not perform as well as the first time.
• Warranty – Look for a hassle-free warranty. Is the warranty nationwide so that you can obtain service wherever you are? How long is the free replacement period? Make sure that you are comfortable with the warranty.
• Consider value as well as price – Before taking professional advice from your motor mechanic, do search on the internet and look for discounted prices offered by various spares parts selling companies. It is certain that you will remain on the gainer’s side if you purchase your car battery online rather than buy it from a local store.
• Purchase a new battery before your existing one fails – Before you take a long trip, or when you are having your car serviced, have your battery tested. It will save you a lot of time and money down the road.

Car batteries need regular checkups, which if not taken care of, will reduce the life of the battery. We are providing you with some useful tips that will enhance your car’s battery life.

• Do not leave the headlights on for a long time after turning off the car engine.
• Do not leave the key in the ignition of the car overnight as some electrical device may stay on and can discharge the battery by the morning.
•  Never let rust remain on the battery terminals for too long.
• Do not leave interior lights on overnight; make sure to turn off all lights off and any other electrical accessories before locking the car.
• If you are not going to use your car for a long time, disconnect the battery from the car and manually remove it from the car altogether. This ensures that the battery will not get discharged when the vehicle is not used.

Maintaining an automobile battery, like checking the terminals and cables and keeping the connectors clean will free you from situations where the car refuses to start at traffic lights or get you stuck in the middle of nowhere without help at hand. Do not install used car batteries as they are extremely dangerous.To know how well your car battery is performing, do take your car to a proper service center like Carservicing4less, on a regular basis.

Is Your Car Mechanic Using The Right Engine Oil?

The engine is the heart of the car and if the heart is not functioning properly, then the entire body will be paralyzed. Car engines always need good engine oils in order to operate smoothly.

When your car mechanic suggests an engine oil, it’s important to know the oil’s viscosity, a property that corresponds roughly to its thickness. The best engine oils have a viscosity that is neither too high (thick) such that it will barely flow nor so low (thin) that it will slip through the engine. As oil changes its viscosity with temperature, it is advisable to choose synthetic oils for your car engines as they are less affected by temperature variations and do not thicken unduly.

Are you facing instances when the car engine takes several minutes to respond to the ignition? This calls for an immediate understanding that dirt and sludge have built up in your car’s engine and are hampering the ignition system and there is an urgent need for car servicing. The simple task of changing the oil is not the solution to the problem; it’s the sludge that is getting deposited in the car’s engine that requires cleanups on a regular basis. Just because oil appears darker in colour by no way impedes it from performing the normal function of lubricating and protecting the metal surface inside the engine. Obviously, oil change is recommended when the oil becomes saturated for quite a long time. Due to daily hectic schedules and sometimes due to constrained budgets many car owners skip regular car servicing. The simple procedures listed below will help them to check the car’s engine oil from time to time.

• Park the car on a leveled surface and make sure that the engine is cooled down before checking.
• Take the dipstick and wipe the oil off the dipstick with a paper towel or shop rag. The location of the oil dipstick depends on whether your vehicle has an in-line engine (rear-wheel drive) or a transverse engine (front-wheel drive).
• Insert the stick back into the pipe and make sure to push it all the way in.
• Now pull it out, but don’t turn it upside down to look at it, this makes the oil run upward and ruins your reading.
• If the oil on the dipstick is below the line marked “full”, add a small amount of oil. Many dipsticks simply have 2 lines with a cross hatch design in between. The oil level should be halfway between these 2 lines.
• Never add more than a quart at one time without driving and taking a new reading of the oil level. Overfilling the engine can be messy.

Your car mechanic may suggest an oil change after every 3000miles but in recent times, modern detergent oils, improved synthetic oils and upgraded auto engineering allow cars to go about 7500miles (12,070km) between oil changes. These oils already contain additives and hence putting in more may actually dilute what’s already there and lessen the oil’s effectiveness.

There is the availability of a full range of mobile engine oils those are suitable for your Audi, Skoda, SEAT and Volkswagen cars. During car servicing, advice your car mechanic to use the right kind of oil that satisfies the requirement of the most exotic high-performance engines of these plush cars. Here we are providing you with the most common approved oils by the VW group (Volkswagen, Skoda, SEAT and Audi.)

Oil specification	Types of VW engine	Viscosity
VW 500.00	VW engines built before model year 2000 (up to August 1999).	SAE 5W-X/10W-X viscosity.
VW 501.01	Suitable for some VW engines built before MY 2000. This is an “old” oil specification and is applicable to engines built before model year 2000 (up to August 1999).
VW 502.00	Oil for gasoline engines. Successor of VW 501.01 and VW 500.00 specification. Recommended for those engines that are subject to arduous conditions. It must not be used for any VW engines with variable service intervals or any which are referred to under other specifications.
VW 503.01	This specification is specifically for Audi RS4, Audi TT, S3 and Audi A8 6.0 V12 models with outputs of more than 180bhp, running with variable service intervals (30,000km or 2 years). Now superseded by the VW 504.00 specification.
VW 504.00	The VW 504 00 specification supersedes the VW 503 00 and VW 503.01 specifications. VW 504 00 oils are suitable for Volkswagen  engines meeting the demands of Euro IV emissions standards.
VW 505.00	Passenger car diesel engine oil specification, minimum performance level CCMC PD-2.	SAE 5W-50, 10W-50/60, 15W-40/50, 20W-40/50 requiring 13% max. Evaporation loss and SAE 5W-30/40, 10W-30/40 requiring 15% maximum evaporation loss.
VW 506.00	Suitable for diesel engines with extended service intervals of up to 50,000km / 2 years. Not for use on engines with a single injector pump. Oil change is indicated by the electronic service indicator.	SAE 0W30.
VW 507.00	Suitable for Euro 4 engines and almost all VAG diesel engines from 2000 onwards with extended service intervals, unitary injector pumps and also Pump-Diesel (“PD”) engines. Not suitable forV10, R5 engines and VW commercial vehicles without fitted DPF (diesel particulate filters).

Carservicing4less will put an end to your car’s problems

Owning a car has now become a common affair, but knowledge of car maintenance and repairs is still a mystery to many. Modern day cars have developed into highly complicated and complex machines. From fuel control to adjustment of suspension, everything is now monitored by computers. But with time, as the car goes through several shocks like that of temperature variations and bad road conditions, it is inevitable that regular breakdowns and erratic petrol consumptions occur. Therefore, to ensure proper and smooth functioning of your “dearest possession”, frequent checkups from a professional automotive technician in a reputed garage are required.

We have stepped into an era of high-class technology where service provided by a roadside auto repair shop is not adequate according to the requirements of the car. Several well-organized and large car servicing centers have come into existence throughout the United Kingdom to put an end to the troubles generally faced by car owners. These car repair and service centres have upgraded themselves to a high level in terms of well-equipped workshops and top grade professionals, who are keen to provide service of the best quality to their client.

For car owners who have skipped a few servicings and are planning to get them done in the near future, Carservicing4less Ltd. situated at 104-106 Newlands Park, Sydenham, SE26 5NA may prove to be the ultimate destination. Skilled, trained and experienced technicians here are up to the task of getting your car back on the road as quickly and inexpensively as possible. From the simplest job of oil change to the difficult ones like that of wheel refurbishment and electrical repair, everything is done with utmost care in a fully equipped workshop. If any problem is discovered regarding spare parts replacement, they do not indulge in any kind of action without the client’s prior consent. They offer additional services like that of collecting the car and delivering it at the customer’s doorstep after its servicing. We suggest that you go through the company’s website available at: www.carservicing4less.co.uk before choosing a particular car servicing center for your hard-earned vehicle.

Every car comes with a service handbook giving detailed service intervals and tasks that needs to be accomplished after aspecific number of miles. Do make sure to update it regularly in order to avoid unpleasant situations later on. Always remember that a poorly maintained vehicle significantly increases the risk of serious accidents on roads. On the other hand, regular servicing of the vehicle by an experienced and qualified mechanic ensures the safety of your family and fellow motorists.

A little time and money spent now will be beneficial for your car in future

It is often seen that people buy a car by investing a huge amount of money but when it comes to the car’s servicing they are either too lazy or feel good to remain totally ignorant.

Suppose one sunny morning when you are planning to go out for a picnic with your family in your “dearer possession”, settling down inside it with lots of excitement when you put the key in the keyhole and try to start the engine, your car disagrees to move a single feet failing all your utmost attempts. This may be due to damage of certain car parts or lack of servicing. To avoid this kind of unwanted instances, going through the car maintenance guide book at the time of your purchase is very much needed. This will not only save you from sudden inconveniences caused at times of emergencies but also give you an idea about how much future investment you have to incur if any of the either happens.

Day by day car manufacturing companies are upgrading their model with high class technologies in every aspects of its part. Gone are the days when a roadside garage would have fixed your entire car’s problem by charging a very less amount. Along with manufacturing companies many car parts selling companies and service centres have now elevated their service levels to a great height. They have developed several worthy web pages that will give you a clear picture about car repair service. Carservicing4less is one such company who have not only excelled in car servicing field but maintained a good reputation among its customers throughout United Kingdom. Although the standard service depends solely on the make and model of the car and if it becomes difficult for you to access a proper service centre, see to it that the car servicing is done from a reputed auto repair shop and by a skilled car mechanic from time to time.Retaining a log book after every service will prove beneficial in future. Not just polishing up the outer metal body and making it attractive make sure that lubrication of all the working parts: hinges and clutches, gears, engine and the pistons are done properly. Basic things which are of much importance like the wipers of the rear window, tyres and seat belts habitually goes unnoticed by your motor mechanic. Make him aware of all these parts beforehand. If any car parts has to be replaced look for genuine parts that is available in the market or online stores.

A little extra time and money spend at regular intervals is more cost efficient in the long run than saving some money now by not providing a thorough service to your vehicle. Carservicing4less is a trust worthy company which will make up your car properly by charging a very less amount.

Car Servicing is important for your car as well as for you

Most car owners tend to drive a new car for three or four years and then trade it in or sell it for another vehicle. The used car business is booming in the UK and no matter what type of car you wish to buy be it a Mercedes, Volkswagen, Ford or Mini Cooper, you are sure to find thousands of used cars for sale.

In order to ensure that your car will re-sell for a good amount of money, it is very important that you have it serviced regularly. Have the oil changed every four or five months, check all of the fluid levels, check car battery and do a brake inspection every six months. If you are not mechanically-inclined then you should get in touch with a car repair shop like http://www.Carservicing4less.co.uk so that you have a trusted car mechanic check and repair your car when needed.

It is said that a new car greatly depreciates in value the minute it leaves the auto dealership lot. While this is certainly true to some extent, it does not mean that you cannot sell your car for a great price. Be sure to take your car regularly to workshop for car servicing before your warranty runs out as this will save you a great deal of money. If you tend to the little problems now you will avoid costly large repair bills in the future. For example, if you have a rattling noise coming from under the hood, be sure to check to see what is causing this. That rattling noise may turn out to be something as simple as a loose hose clamp or something similar.Ignoring signs and symptoms of trouble can spell doom.

You can pick up an auto repair book for your make and model form a book stores. These books are great for the novice repairman who wishes to learn how to change oil and spark plugs and perform other general maintenance tasks on his vehicle. Even if you have the larger tasks taken care of by car service centres like www.Carservicing4less.co.uk, this type of book will guide you in attending to some of the smaller jobs that should be done on a regular basis.

When it comes time to sell your car and purchase a new one, you will be sure to get the best price possible because you took the time to have your car serviced. Buying a car is one of the largest purchases most of us make so you want to be sure to get the most benefit out of it. A well serviced car will offer you several years of care-free, fuel efficient and fun driving. It is a great idea to keep a service journal in your car’s glove compartment. Keep it updated with services done to your car. Showing this book to a person interested in buying your car will go a long way in you getting the price you ask when it’s time to sell.

Author Bio:

We at carservicing4less specializes in car servicing and car repair for all makes of vehicles including European & Japanese cars. Book a car service online with http://carservicing4less.co.uk

Thinking of Car Servicing

Auto maintenance or car servicing describes the act of inspecting or testing the condition of car subsystems and servicing or replacing parts and fluids. Regular maintenance is critical to ensure the safety, reliability, drivability, comfort and longevity of a car. During preventive maintenance, a number of parts are replaced to avoid major damage or for safety reasons, e.g. timing belt replacement.

The actual schedule of car maintenance varies depending on the year, make, and model of a car, its driving conditions and driver behavior. Car makers recommend the ideal service schedule based on impact parameters such as.

• number of trips and distance traveled per trip per day
• extreme hot or cold climate conditions
• mountainous, dusty or de-iced roads
• heavy stop-and-go vs. long-distance cruising

Experienced service advisors in dealerships and independent shops recommend schedule intervals, which are often in between the ideal or extreme service schedule. They base it on the driving conditions and behavior of the car owner or driver.

Common car maintenance tasks include:

• Car wash
• check/replace the engine oil and replace oil filters
• check/replace fuel filters
• inspect or replace windshield wipers
• check or refill windshield washer fluid
• inspect tires for pressure and wear
• Tire balancing
• Tire rotation
• Wheel alignment
• check, clean or replace car battery terminals and top up battery fluid
• inspect or replace brake pads
• check or flush brake fluid
• check or flush transmission fluid
• check or flush power steering fluid
• check and flush engine coolant
• inspect or replace spark plugs
• inspect or replace air filter
• inspect or replace timing belt and other belts
• lubricate locks, latches, hinges
• check all lights
• tighten chassis nuts and bolts
• check if rubber boots are cracked and need replacement
• test electronics and circuits, e.g., Anti-lock braking system or ABS

Some tasks that have equivalent service intervals are combined into one single service known as a tune-up. In modern cars, where electronics control most of the car’s functions, the traditional tune-up doesn’t apply anymore. Maintenance jobs like a tune-up used to mean getting the engine’s performance back on track. Today embedded software takes care of it by constantly checking thousands of sensor signals, compensating for worn-out spark plugs, clogged filters, etc. The so-called limp-home function allows driving on limited power when the engine is in trouble. In the old days this might have meant a breakdown and might had to look out for a car fitter in the middle of the night.

In most of the places, the completed services are recorded in a service book which is rubber-stamped by the service center upon completion of each service. A complete service history usually adds to the resale value of a vehicle.

So, if you are planning for car servicing or car repair or car battery replacement call Carservicing4less or visit their website www.carservicing4less.co.uk and avail LOCAL CAR COLLECTION & DELIVERY SERVICE.